Rival programs dangled $6 million to lure star Henri Veesaar away, forcing UNC into a bidding war for their prized talent.
The North Carolina Tar Heels are facing steep prices in the college basketball market this offseason as they try to put together an elite roster for new head coach Michael Malone.
UNC will lose on of its key players from the 2025-26 season. Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
Per Matt Norlander of CBS Sports, Henri Veesaar will not return to Chapel Hill for next season. He plans to stay in the 2026 NBA draft.
UNC was set to pay Veesaar nearly $4 million if he returned for next season, about $2 million less than the highest offer Veesaar received.
"NEWS—Henri Veesaar is leaving UNC and intends to stay in the NBA Draft, source told CBSSports," Norlander posted on X. "Avgd 17.0 pts, 8.7 rebs, shot ~42% from 3. Big domino on this NCAA draft declaration deadline day. Veesaar a potential 1st-rounder but will leave a big NIL on the table as a result.
"By the way, multiple schools tried to lure Henri Veesaar into the portal in the past few weeks by offering him at least $6 million, per multiple sources. UNC's NIL negotiations never approached that range, but the Heels definitely could've cleared $4 million had he opted to stay."
One can't blame Veesaar for leaving. He has a good chance to be taken in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft.
Fans on social media reacted to the news of Veesaar's decision.
"Will somebody tell him that he’s not going to be a first round draft pick stay in North Carolina run the tables maybe win the championship boost your name and your value goes up will be my best advice," wrote a fan.
"You make more money in college. Stay where you look at past drafts selections."
"He. Doesn’t. Like. School," argued a poster. "I don’t know why this is so hard for people to understand. He wanted to go NBA after his last year at AZ, wasn’t getting the feedback he wanted, and still wanted to be paid.
"Hence the transfer to UNC. He grading better, so he’s gone. Really simple."
"UNC looks worse and worse by the day. Maybe it wasn’t all a Hubert problem, but a athletic department problem like most were saying," posted another.
"Tampering has gotta stop man. Out these schools! He wasn’t in the portal!!" wrote a fan.
"$6 million would have been ridiculous. We need the equivalent of Billy Beane for CBB," believes a poster.